The Basics of Nutrition- What you NEED to know

It’s no surprise that so many people are confused when it comes to the topic of Nutrition and Health with all the information (or misinformation) that gets thrown about by magazines, TV programmes and worst of all, celebrities.

Once or twice a week I will post a short article on a different topic, including such things as nutrition, eating and lifestyle tips and mindset for dieting success, as well as busting a few nutrition myths along the way.

So let’s start at the very beginning. When it comes to nutrition there are three groups to know about… Macronutrients, Micronutrients and Calories

Macronutrients (Macros) are types of food and there are three of them- Protein, Carbohydrates and Fat. Each plays a number of important roles in the body which will be looked at more closely in future posts.

Each Macro contains a certain number of calories per gram. Protein: 4kcal/gram Carbs: 4kcal/gram Fat: 9kcal/gram. This is what contributes to your total calorie intake.

Micronutrients are chemical elements or substances required for growth and development and for overall health aka. Vitamins, Minerals and Fibre. These don’t contribute to weight loss or weight gain but are needed to be healthy and for the body to function properly.

Calories are what ultimately determines weight loss or weight gain. Everybody has a base calorie requirement which if they hit means they will remain the same weight. Go under or over this number and you will lose or gain weight respectively.